05 NOVEMBER 1944 · SUNDAY · STATION 104Bombed Primary
Mission 702.Ludwigshafen.
Ludwigshafen, Germany
Intended Target
Ludwigshafen
Ludwigshafen, Germany
Actual Target
Karlsruhe
As bombed
Operating Group
93rd BG
3BD
Takeoff Base
Hardwick
Station 104
Landing Base
Hardwick
Station 104
Aircraft Effective
219 / 454
effective / dispatched
Bomb Tonnage
640.5
tons
The cost.
§ Outcome
0
Ships Aborting
1
Ships Lost
7
Men Bailed Out
3
Men Lost
The route.
§ Takeoff to Target
Bearing Out
121° T
Bearing In
306° T
Route Length
1,400 nmi
Time Aloft
7 h 30 m
Operational data.
§ From the Debrief
Times & Distance
Reveille
03:00
Stations
06:30
Takeoff
07:15
Form-Up
07:30
Time Over Target
09:30
Return Time
14:45
Distance
1,400 nmi
Fuel Aboard
2,500 gal
Fuel Consumed
2,300 gal
Weather
Cloud En-Route to Target
Solid, wall-to-wall stratus overcast (10/10) from departure to target — complete instrument conditions the entire route.
Air Temp at Altitude
-24 °F
Lowest Temp
-24 °F
Wind Speed
48 kt
Wind Direction
260°
Bombing & Defense
Bombing Altitude
24,000 ft
Bombing Run Heading
87° True
Forming Altitude
14,000 ft
Fighter Cover
4 P-51, 1 P-47 groups
Bombing Accuracy
Could not see — 10/10 cloud cover
Flak
Heavy at target — red, white, and black flak bursts
The formation.
2 aircraft · tap a ship for its crew
ROT/Sgt William L. Orient
From William Orient's flight log: aircraft logged as '535-O', B-24H. Carried 2,000-lb bombs to Karlsruhe; flak encountered. Duration 7:00. Aircraft not matched to a DB record - candidates 42-51535 'Misery Wagon' and 44-10535 'Roy's Boys' (both 328th BS, call letter O) unconfirmed.
Sources.
§ Provenance
Mighty Eighth War Diary
Roger A Freeman · Jane's Publishing Company Limited · 1981
Published